The Spiritual Light of Simṭ ad-Durar: Drawing Near to the Prophet ﷺ
- Sakina Publishing
- May 18
- 3 min read
In every age, Allah raises hearts that revive love for His Beloved ﷺ. One such heart was that of Ḥabīb ʿAlī b. Muhammad al-Habashi, who composed the Mawlid, Simṭ ad-Durar (The Necklace of Pearls), in 1328 AH. This was no ordinary composition; it was, as he described, an inspiration directly placed upon his heart.
He said of it:
“Within this Mawlid lies a great secret. Every time I recite it or hear it, new spiritual openings are unveiled to me. It is as though it did not even proceed from my own tongue.”
For those seeking to draw closer to the Prophet ﷺ, Ḥabīb ʿAlī gave clear guidance:
“Whoever recites it consistently or commits it to memory and makes it part of their regular litanies, will witness something of the secret of the Beloved ﷺ being unveiled to them.” “Every time it was recited in my presence, a door of connection to the Prophet ﷺ opened.”
He described Simṭ ad-Durar as more than poetry or praise. It was, in his words:
“A manifestation of the Prophet’s ﷺ spiritual state, bestowed as a gift for future generations.”
Writing and Memorising the Mawlid
One of his saintly students, Sayyid ʿUmar b. ʿAydrūs once saw Ḥabīb ʿAlī in a dream. In it, he was concerned about his children’s lack of intelligence. Ḥabīb ʿAlī replied, “Get them to write out my Mawlid.” It was as though he indicated that intellectual and spiritual brilliance could be unlocked by writing it. He would often advise:
“Whoever desires an opening should memorise or write out the Mawlid.”
The Science of Intention
Ḥabīb ʿAlī was also known for his mastery of intentions (niyyah). He taught that every righteous act should be preceded by an abundance of intentions to maximise spiritual benefit. For example, when attending a lesson, he recommended intending:
to seek knowledge
to perform spiritual retreat in the mosque
to increase the number of students of knowledge
to listen to the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ
to hear the words of Allah
to hear the speech of the scholars
to gaze upon the faces of the righteous
For those who struggled with formulating intentions, he offered a simple solution:
“Enter your intention into the intention of your Shaykh, saying, ‘I intend what my Shaykh has intended.’ Then say, ‘I intend all righteous actions,’ and continue renewing your intentions.”
He would quote the prophetic hadith:
“The intention of a believer is better than his action.”
A Heart Annihilated in the Prophet ﷺ
Ḥabīb ʿAlī’s life was defined by a profound and all-encompassing love for the Prophet ﷺ. He attained the rank of fanāʾ (annihilation) in the Beloved ﷺ, a spiritual station in which the self is effaced through love. This state is reflected in every line of Simṭ ad-Durar, and through it, he received abundant madad (spiritual aid).
In one vision, the Prophet ﷺ said to him:
“My son, I have placed a wall around you and your companions.”
Contemporaries and Gnostics of his time testified to his spiritual state. It was said that he would perform his obligatory prayers in the Rawḍa al-Sharīfa, and that he often saw the Prophet ﷺ there. Many witnessed the Messenger ﷺ appear in his gatherings, and on more than one occasion, saw him in physical form.
No gathering of Ḥabīb ʿAlī was without the remembrance of the Prophet ﷺ, his virtues, his qualities, and verses of love and praise. His collected poems span six volumes, along with a renowned collection of salutations (ṣalawāt). Among them is this famous invocation:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ مِفْتَاحِ بَابِ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ، عَدَدَ مَا فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ، صَلَاةً وَسَلَامًا دَائِمَيْنِ بِدَوَامِ مُلْكِ اللَّهِ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ
Comments